U.S. Pat. No. 2,119,854, granted June 7, 1938 to Thomas O. Day discloses a light buoy comprising a body composed of upper and lower conical sections, a lantern head at the upper end of the upper section, and a ballast chamber and a wire bail at the lower end of the lower section. The buoy is hung at a convenient place aboard a vessel. When needed, it is removed from its hook and thrown overboard. The ballast in the lower end of the buoy rights the buoy and causes it to float with the lamp uppermost. A mercury switch in the buoy functions to light a bulb in the lantern head.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,324,983, granted July 20, 1943 to Archie H. Gollings discloses a buoy comprising a near spherical body which includes a central battery space, an annular air space surrounding the battery space, a light assembly at its upper end, and an eye at its lower end by which it is connected to an anchor chain.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,453,670, granted July 8, 1969, to Lloyd H. Conry discloses a buoy comprising a semispherical body, a mast extending upwardly from the body, a tube extending downardly from the body to an instrument chamber, and a control lanyard to which a mooring line is attached. A windmilling rotor is provided at the top of the mast. It functions, in response to the presence of a predetermined wind velocity, to exert a lifting force on the buoy sufficient to place the major portion of the buoy structure above the crests of passing waves.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,707,736, granted Jan. 2, 1973 to Robert C. Bass discloses a buoy having a disc-shaped body, a ballast chamber projecting below the body, a light positioned on top of the body and an anchor line secured to a lower central portion of the ballast chamber.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,774,564, granted Nov. 27, 1973 to Louis A. Bondon and Bruce B. Haselman discloses a submersible oceanographic vehicle. The vehicle comprises a disc-like body which may be ballasted to extend either horoizontally or vertically. The body may be towed by a tow line attached at an edge so that it can be towed with minimum drag and good stability.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,953,905, granted May 4, 1976, to John L. Paitson discoses a buoy comprising a vertically elongated tubular body having a signal light and a transmitter antenna at its upper end, and a hollow V-wing at its middle. A towing bridle extends forwardly from the opposite ends of the wing and from the lower end of the tubular body to a common point of connection with a tow line. Batteries and a ballast weight are placed within the lower portion of the body which extends below the wing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,464,129, granted Aug. 7, 1984, to Patrice Vancheri and Henri Lefebvre discloses a buoy having a semispherical body, a mast extending upwardly from the body, a signal device at the upper end of the mast, and an anchor line connection on a lower portion of the body. The buoy body contains an electronic control which detects the presence of a danger in the water to divers and in response sends a signal to the divers and another signal to the crew of the divers' boat.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,668,200, granted May 26, 1987 to Keigo Kotoh and Nobuhiro Nakamura discloses a buoy having a battery compartment at its lower end, a buoyant material compartment above the battery compartment, a light at its upper end, and a control line eye on one side. The upper end of the buoy includes a receiving antenna for receiving radio waves, a searcher's radar and a transmitting antenna which transmits signals in response to the radio waves.
Despite the existence of the above-described prior art buoys, there is a need for a buoy which is simple to construct, is durable, is multi-functional and is readily towable and will remain in a substantially upright position when towed. A principal object of the present invention is to provide such a marine buoy.